CONTAINER VESSEL CHARTER MARKET
This week, growth in demand has been observed across all size segments in the container vessel charter market, while supply remains broadly constrained. Demand for feeder vessels remains robust, with shipowners adjusting their expectations for ~1,700 TEU vessels accordingly. Two-year charter contracts for environmentally friendly Bangkokmax-type vessels are no longer uncommon.
In the Panamax segment, charterers are looking for vessels available in the latter half of 2025 due to limited supply. Overall, our Time Charter Index for container vessels rose by 1% compared to the previous week, reaching 168 points.
Another week of solid growth on the Far East–Europe route (up 4% week-on-week to $2,541/TEU) supported the overall SCFI index, which increased by 1% to 2,332 points. The rise on the Far East–Europe route is attributed to strong pre-Lunar New Year cargo volumes and port congestion at major hubs (e.g., Hamburg). Meanwhile, rates on the Trans-Pacific route remain stable, although the impact of Donald Trump’s election victory on the market remains unclear.
Source: VISABA Maritime and Logistics Report No. 45.
